This vetch has a long history in Europe and has been established in America for livestock feed. It has been cultivated in Nebraska, but not known to have been naturalized. It has 1-2 pink/purple flowers without stalks (A,B), whereas the other possible vetches in our area have more flowers per cluster. The leaves have 5-6 pairs of leaflets, each ending bluntly and in a sharp point (A,D). The leaves themselves end in tendrills which cling to other plants to form a thick mat (F). The fruit resembles a flat pea pod; it is shown (E) in its early development.
A good patch of this vetch was found in 2012 just east of the Wetland Learning Center on the flood plain of Fontenelle Forest. It was either planted there, or came in with the flood, perhaps from the farm nearby, where it perhaps had been planted for livestock food.
This vetch had been grown as animal feed in Europe at least as far back as Roman times.
The content of NatureSearch is provided by dedicated volunteer Naturalists of Fontenelle Forest who strive to provide the most accurate information available. Contributors of the images retain their copyrights. The point of contact for this page is: Roland Barth.